THE City Council of Bacolod approved a resolution requesting the Department of Education, City Health Office, and City Legal Office to monitor and ensure that foods sold to students are served by school-managed canteen with sanitation clearance.
The resolution, authored by Councilor Sonya Verdeflor, was approved during the special session held Tuesday.
It cited the incident where more than 100 pupils of Handumanan Elementary School-I in Barangay Handumanan were rushed to various hospitals due to alleged food poisoning after they consumed contaminated juices, ice candies, and other food served inside and outside the school premises.
The resolution also stated that pursuant to DepEd Order No. 8., Series of 2007, monitoring teams in its regional and division offices are created to ensure adherence to standards on quality, handling and serving food, and canteen equipment/facility in the school canteen and that food safety standards and hygienic practices are strictly observed and implemented.
It added that to prevent similar food poisoning incidents, it is imperative for the DepEd-Bacolod, in coordination with the City Health Office and the City Legal Office, to monitor the food served to students in schools and ensure that said food is served by accredited food handlers who have undergone orientation on food handling and preparation, and canteen management and have the proper sanitation clearances, permits, and health cards.
